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Brand Spanking New A&K AK120II and AK100II
Jan 22, 2015 at 2:15 PM Post #3,091 of 6,668
sorensiim said:
Nope, they're 2.5mm TRRS straight from the factory. The owner of Estron (the company that makes the Linum cable) has an AK240, that might be the reason why they offer that option :grinning:
It does indeed beat the DX90 in all categories except value for money. Is it $1300 better or 3 times as good as the DX90? Nope! This is a perfect example of The Law of Diminishing Returns.
Click to expand...


Webite to order said cables? :)
 
Jan 22, 2015 at 2:36 PM Post #3,093 of 6,668
Oh boy, the AK120 II with the K10 is a merciless combination! Muse's Plug-in Baby is pretty flat, Puscifer's Momma Sed has a ton of grain... But the good recordings just absolutely shine!!

I thought the AK was bass light, compared to the Ibasso players, but the bass hits deep and hard - if it's in the music.
 
Jan 22, 2015 at 6:05 PM Post #3,094 of 6,668
sorensiim said:
Oh boy, the AK120 II with the K10 is a merciless combination! Muse's Plug-in Baby is pretty flat, Puscifer's Momma Sed has a ton of grain... But the good recordings just absolutely shine!!

I thought the AK was bass light, compared to the Ibasso players, but the bass hits deep and hard - if it's in the music.
Click to expand...

 
I thought this as well coming from a DX90 to the ak100ii.
However after some burn in/brain burn in, I found the bass actually better on the ak100ii.
 
Less aggressive, but extends deeper.
This was with UM Mentors.  Then I got Tralucent Ref 1's and any lack of perceived bass is invalid lol.
 
Jan 22, 2015 at 8:39 PM Post #3,096 of 6,668
The AK players are pretty much neutral, but a very resolving neutral, meaning they will very easily reproduce the whole range of frequencies, albeit at times a bit mercilessly. I've had to scrap and reconfigure half my music because it started to sound really flat and the poor recording showed through.
 
Jan 23, 2015 at 1:03 AM Post #3,097 of 6,668
sorensiim said:
Oh boy, the AK120 II with the K10 is a merciless combination! Muse's Plug-in Baby is pretty flat, Puscifer's Momma Sed has a ton of grain... But the good recordings just absolutely shine!!

I thought the AK was bass light, compared to the Ibasso players, but the bass hits deep and hard - if it's in the music.
Click to expand...

 
Have you updated your firmware?  I know that a lot of people find EQs anathema, but I have really enjoyed the AKT5P custom EQ with my CKR9 iems.  Very pleasant expansion of soundstage, taming of harshness and expansion of bass punch. 
fizz said:
  I really wish I could find a cable like that for my CIEM's
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They make this cable for most connectors, I think :  
 
http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000044444/003/073/X/page1/recommend/
 
Jan 23, 2015 at 2:28 AM Post #3,098 of 6,668
wyd4 said:
   
I thought this as well coming from a DX90 to the ak100ii.
However after some burn in/brain burn in, I found the bass actually better on the ak100ii.
 
Less aggressive, but extends deeper.
This was with UM Mentors.  Then I got Tralucent Ref 1's and any lack of perceived bass is invalid lol.
Click to expand...

Oh my K10 gets bass aplenty - when it's actually in the music:

That track is just utterly ridiculous for testing bass 
biggrin.gif

 
By the way, I'm actully liking the cover! Looks soooo much nicer IRL!
 
noobmachine said:
The AK players are pretty much neutral, but a very resolving neutral, meaning they will very easily reproduce the whole range of frequencies, albeit at times a bit mercilessly. I've had to scrap and reconfigure half my music because it started to sound really flat and the poor recording showed through.
Click to expand...

 
If this was AD&D, the AK 2nd gen players would be categorized as chaotic neutral. I love it, but some of my albums really don't. Others gain a whole new dimension to them - and it's not like I was listening to crappy gear before, the AK is just better at showing all aspects of the recording, for better or worse.
 
dopaminer said:
   
Have you updated your firmware?  I know that a lot of people find EQs anathema, but I have really enjoyed the AKT5P custom EQ with my CKR9 iems.  Very pleasant expansion of soundstage, taming of harshness and expansion of bass punch. 
 
 
They make this cable for most connectors, I think :  
 
http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000044444/003/073/X/page1/recommend/
Click to expand...

FW update was the first thing I did:

 
I'll still say that the DX90 is the best buy in DAP's. The DX100 is one hell of a player if you can get one used for $500 - it'll sound nice and clean with IEMs, yet drive the HD800, HE500 and LCD3 to deafening levels. But for pure sonic resolution and musical revelation? The AK wins. 
 
Jan 23, 2015 at 8:52 AM Post #3,101 of 6,668
Jan 23, 2015 at 9:36 AM Post #3,102 of 6,668
Sure, my SE 846 paired with 120 II.
 
Comparing the stock cable (SE) and the Alo Audio's XC 22 Copper balanced cable. Very good separation of L/R channel, clarity and bass improves most. The treble is more smooth and not so harsh with most of the 70 and 80 CD pop songs in 16/44.1KHZ WAV format Overall sound stage is wider and I am very satisfied with this upgrade.Even though specification said balance output is higher, but I heard from my SE846 (SE), output actually is a little bit louder. However I am not sure if the improvement is due to the cable material of the XC 22 copper or due to the balanced output.
 
Jan 23, 2015 at 9:54 AM Post #3,103 of 6,668
fiascogarcia said:
 
Do you see a huge difference between balanced and SE?
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I just picked up this little unit last week in Bangkok, which enables very quick A-Bing of the balanced vs. single-ended outputs of my 120ii.  With my T5P, the difference is obvious, obviously better balanced.
 

 
Jan 23, 2015 at 10:12 AM Post #3,104 of 6,668
Whoa, this was not even on my radar when I picked up my `junk` T5P last month.   Now the AKT5P eq makes sense . . . 
 

 

 
Jan 23, 2015 at 10:14 AM Post #3,105 of 6,668
fiascogarcia said:
Do you see a huge difference between balanced and SE?
Click to expand...

I really meant to try the single ended output today. Was just going to have quick listen to the balanced output but then 8 hours flew by.

I'm not a big fan of Phil Collins, but his album "But seriously" in 24/192 is friggin amazing on the AK. INCREDIBLE dynamics and details!
 
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